AMD 4 - Ryen

Fun with online translators

For this AMD activity I have decided to experiment with online translation engines. The two that I will be using are Google Translate and Babelfish. The first step of the experiment is to take a simple english sentence and compare my own German translation to those given by the translation engines.

"I would like to buy a hamburger."

My translation: "Ich möchte einen Hamburger kaufen."

Google Translate: "Ich möchte einen Hamburger kaufen."

Babelfish: "Ich möchte einen Hamburger kaufen."

So far so good.

"I like to go hiking and fishing."

My translation: "Ich gehe gern wandern und angeln."

Google Translate: "Ich mag zum Wandern und Fischen."

Babelfish: "Ich mag zu wandern und zu fischen gehen."

Online translators apparently can't understand "gern," so they translate as "mag." But all three statements look correct.

"My Uncle Steve lives in Alaska with his five children."

My translation: "Mein Onkel Steve wohnt in Alaska mit seine fünf kinder."

Google translate: "Mein Onkel Steve lebt in Alaska mit seinen fünf kindern."

Babelfish: "Mein Onkel Steve wohnt in Alaska mit seinen fünf kindern."

What's with "seinen" and "kindern"? Is this some grammatical thing I haven't learned yet? But the statements still look correct. But if they weren't, I wouldn't really know. Now for German to English.

"Meine Mutter ist sehr musikalisch. Sie kann sehr gut Klavier spielen."

My translation: "My mother is very musical. She can play the piano very well."

Google translate: "My mother is very musical. You can play piano very well."

Babelfish: "My mother is very musical. It can play very well piano."

Things are starting to go wrong. Word order and multi-sentence ideas seem to be lost on these computer programs. Google translate "Sie" literally as "you", and I'm not sure what the deal is with Babelfish.

"Ich soll sicher meine Arbeit machen."

My translation: "I should certainly do my work."

Google translate: "I will certainly do my job."

Babelfish: "I am to make my work surely."

Though google translate gets some things wrong, it manages to retain the basic idea and a rational structure. Rationality is something lost on Babelfish.

After these mini-tests, I copied large blocks of tests from German news sources and German Wikipedia and translated them to English. I thought that the results would be hilarious, but the translations were surprisingly coherent and understandable. To get more interesting results, I had to translate back and forth several times.

Here is the original text from a German Wikipedia article about physics.

"Die Arbeitsweise der Physik besteht im Allgemeinen in einem Zusammenspiel experimenteller Methoden und theoretischer Modellbildung, welche weitgehend mathematische Methoden verwendet. Physikalische Theorien bewähren sich in der Anwendbarkeit auf Systeme der Natur, indem sie bei Kenntnis von Anfangszuständen derselben möglichst genaue Vorhersagen über resultierende Endzustände erlauben. Physikalische Fortschritte bestehen in der Bereitstellung von Theorien und Hilfsmitteln, die auf zusätzliche Systeme anwendbar sind, genauere Beschreibungen ermöglichen, eine Vereinfachung des theoretischen Apparats erlauben oder praktische Anwendungen ermöglichen und erleichtern."

And here is the text after being translated from German to English to German to English to German to English with Google translate:

"The use of physics is usually in a combined experimental and theoretical modeling methods, most of which mathematical methods are used. Physical theories as to the applicability to natural systems by providing for the same initial states of knowledge as accurate predictions resulting final state focused. Physical progress in the provision of theories and tools for additional systems, the more precise descriptions that facilitate and simplify the theoretical apparatus to permit or facilitate the practical application will be made possible."

I'm amazed that the text is still this understandable. But now here it is using Babelfish:

"The function of physics exists generally in an interaction of the experimental methods and the theoretical concept, which use for the mathematical methods of a high measure. Physical theories work on into the applicability contently put on systems of nature, by forming, separately specify in such a way for the prognoses, which are possible, as possible with knowledge of the initial conditions the same over resulting final conditions. Physical progress existed to specifications in supply supply material supply material theories and aids, which facilitate on additional systems, which are made possible applicable forms, which are possible, a simplification of the theoretical apparatus, or which practical possible application forms and."

Almost gibberish.

Conclusion: Online translators are far from perfect, and can be endlessly entertaining.